The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 56 000 students and 6 600 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The post of associate senior lecturer is a career-development position aimed at giving the employee an opportunity to improve their teaching and academic capabilities. At the end of the term of employment, an associate senior lecturer may apply for promotion to the post of senior lecturer. If the associate senior lecturer is judged to be suitable and to meet the criteria for promotion, they will be employed on a permanent basis as a senior lecturer.

Subject area 

Public administration

Subject area description 

The School of Public Administration engages in education, research and collaboration within the field of public management and administration. The education comprises first- and second-cycle programmes, commissioned education and doctoral studies. Education within the multidisciplinary subject of public administration focuses on politics, democracy and administration; public economics; organisation, management and society; and legal perspectives on public administration. The School of Public Administration is also responsible for courses in the pre-school teacher programme and the head teacher programme. Research is focused on public administration, its function and its societal context. Research is pursued in domains such as: democracy and administration; digitalisation and AI; management accounting and financial reporting; sustainability; health, nursing and care; integration and migration; municipal and regional research; public auditing; societal challenges; school and preschool; and civil servants and professions.

The School of Public Administration welcomes applicants who will join one of our existing research domains as well as applicants who wish to develop other domains within the field of public administration

Duties 

The duties of an associate senior lecturer in public administration are split equally between research and teaching. The teaching element may also include administrative tasks.

Teaching is conducted in Swedish and English.

Duties comprise:

-Research within the field of public administration. The associate senior lecturer is free to choose research questions, develop theoretical ideas, collect data and choose research methods. It includes actively seeking external funding for one’s own research and actively participating in the department’s research environments and seminar activities. The associate senior lecturer is also expected to actively participate in the international dialogue through participation in conferences and international publishing.

- Teaching on the School of Public Administration’s programmes in public administration at both first- and second-cycle level. Teaching at doctoral level may also be relevant. Teaching on most programmes and courses at the department may be considered. The duties also include course and programme development and participation in the department’s pedagogical development work.

- Collaboration with wider society is encouraged.

- Active participation in the development of the department’s activities in Gothenburg.

Eligibility 

Eligibility for this post is subject to the provisions of the Higher Education Ordinance (HF Chapter 4, Section 2a) and the University of Gothenburg’s appointment procedures. Anställningsordning för lärare vid Göteborgs universitet med Samhällsvetenskapliga fakultetens lokala tillämpning (GU 2019/843)

To be eligible for employment as an associate senior lecturer, applicants must have obtained a doctoral degree in public administration or some other relevant subject area within which the administrative perspective is key, such as political science, business administration, sociology, or have attained equivalent academic skills.

Primarily, the person who has obtained a doctoral degree or has reached equivalent competence no more than five years before the deadline for application of the position as associate senior lecturer should be considered. However, a person who has obtained a doctoral degree or has achieved equivalent competence earlier may also be considered if there are special reasons. Special reasons refer to leave due to illness, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

Applicants must have demonstrated pedagogical skills and have experience of research and teaching relevant for the area of public administration

The ability to teach in both Swedish and English is a requirement.

Assessment criteria 

The successful applicant will be the one who, following an overall assessment of development potential and talent, is judged most capable of performing and developing the duties outlined above. Academic and teaching skills will be given equal weight in the assessment.

Academic skills

Academic skills are to have been shown via the applicant’s own research with relevance to the field of public administration. Academic skills shall also be demonstrated via a high capacity for identifying research problems, theory and methodology awareness, and analytical ability.

Academic qualifications shall be demonstrated through the doctoral thesis and other academic publications in the form of articles or chapters in anthologies that have been peer reviewed prior to publication, monographs or other types of academic reports. One criterion is that the applicant shall have contributed to the international scientific community, which shall be evidenced by publication in international journals or by international publishers. In cases where the applicant is not the sole author, the division of responsibility for the work is to be clarified. Academic skills and the relevance of the research to the field of public administration and the School of Public Administration’s current research environment shall be set out in the research plan and the cover letter to be attached to the application. Attained external research funding is advantageous.

The pedagogical skills are demonstrated by documented experience of having planned and conducted teaching in various forms within subjects relevant to the subject of public administration (lectures, seminars, workshops, supervision, etc.) at the basic and advanced level. When assessing pedagogical skills, special emphasis is placed on completed and documented efforts that have contributed to developing education and teaching and improving quality.

Experience and skills in academic teaching and supervision must be well documented and verified

The ability to teach in both Swedish and English is a requirement.

 

Collaborate with wider society

In terms of the University’s duty to collaborate with wider society, involvement in commissioned education and implementation of expert reviews in a public sector context are desirable. Networking activities aimed at public agencies and a documented ability to explain research will also support an application.

 

Overall assessment

An associate senior lecturer is a qualifying position aimed at relatively newly graduated researchers and teachers. The purely quantitative scope of the applicant’s merits will therefore not be decisive, but in the skills assessment, consideration will be given to the period over which the accumulated merits have been accumulated. The position will be offered to the applicant who, after an overall assessment of skills and development potential, is judged to have the best conditions to carry out the tasks included in the position, collaborate and cooperate with other staff and contribute to a positive development of the department.

In addition, consideration will be given to personal suitability (primarily independence, ability to take responsibility, communication skills and capacity for collaboration).

Considerable weight will be given to the applicant’s intention and ability to participate actively in the School of Public Administration’s academic environment in Gothenburg.

Applicants must also have already completed teacher training for higher education, corresponding to the courses PIL101, PIL102 and PIL103, or must complete such training within a year of employment.

Criteria for promotion

An associate senior lecturer has the right to, after application no later than six months before the fixed-term employment expires, be assessed for promotion to a permanent position as senior lecturer in public administration if the person has eligibility for such employment and also is deemed suitable in an assessment according to the assessment criteria for employment as senior lecturer that apply at the University of Gothenburg. In such an assessment, the following requirements for promotion also apply:

The applicant must have demonstrated scientific skills within the subject of public administration during the employment as associate senior lecturer by publishing own research in leading international journals or in books and/or book chapters that have been published by leading international publishers. The applicant must have actively participated in the international dialogue during the employment by participating in conferences and international publishing. The applicant must have applied for external funding for their own research and actively participated in the department’s research environments and seminar activities The applicant must have demonstrated pedagogical skills within the subject of public administration and progression in the pedagogical development during the employment. By progression is meant both experience of teaching at different levels and within different subject areas and/or deepening within previous areas. Qualifying university pedagogical education (or equivalent) is a requirement for promotion. Merits in research and teaching weigh the most in promotion, and are valued equally. Collaboration with the surrounding society as well as management skills and administrative skills are expected and meritorious. When it comes to the assessment criterion suitability, good judgment in professional matters, ability to perform the tasks included in the employment and ability to cooperate and contribute to the development of the business are taken into account. The applicant must have actively participated in the School of Public Administration’s academic environment on site in Gothenburg during the period as associate lecturer. External experts assess whether the requirements for promotion are met. 

Employment 

One or more

Form of employment: Fixed term of 4 years with possibility of promotion to a permanent post as senior lecturer Scope: Full-time

Location: School of Public Administration, Gothenburg, Sweden Starting date: 2024-07-31, or by arrangement.

Selection process 

Submitted applications will be assessed by external experts first. The selection process may include test lectures, interviews and taking up references. In interviews, applicants will be given the opportunity to describe and expand on their own view of teaching, research and collaboration within the field of public administration and of their future role at the department. Where appropriate, these steps may also form the basis for the assessment

Contact information 

For more information about the post, please call Head of Department,, Vicki Johansson on+46 (0)786 1596, vicki.Johansson@spa.gu.se

For questions about the recruitment procedure, please contact Maria Utterhall, HR Officer, maria.utterhall@gu.se, +46 (0)31 786 2966

Unions 

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here: https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande 

 

Application 

Submit your application via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal by clicking the “Apply” button.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. The selection of candidates is made on the basis of the qualifications registered in the application. Any documents that are not available in electronic format should be mailed to:

Förvaltningshögskolan, Box 712, SE 405 30 Göteborg

The following should be attached to the application:

• Cover letter stating why you wish to apply for the position. The letter shall describe how your research and teaching are suited to the field of public administration in general as well as how you intend to contribute to the School of Public Administration’s existing research domains and programmes and/or contribute new perspectives that would enrich this environment. Also describe your capacity to contribute to the School of Public Administration’s academic environment in Gothenburg
• A plan for the research to be pursued within the position (max. 10 pages).
• List of qualifications/CV
• Scholarly qualifications, incl. list of publications, referencing a maximum of 10 scientific publications
• Statement of teaching qualifications must contain information on the scope and type of teaching, plus an assessment of its quality; refer to no more than 10 teaching materials
• Certificate of employment
• Any other documents that you wish to add to your application
• Two references with contact details

Applications must be received by: 2024-03-01

 

  

Information for International Applicants 

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: 

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services 
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/ 

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.